Blogger Showdown: Should You Ever Wear a Bow Tie?

As stores start stocking new merchandise — and we begin thinking about getting a bit dressier for work and weekend this fall, the bow-tie trend is on our minds. Namely: Is wearing one ever worth pursuing as a grown man, or will you just look like a five-year-old on your way to a piano recital? We thought about this some more, then decided to ask two bloggers with some strong opinions on the subject. In this week's Blogger Showdown, Lawrence A. Schlossman — of Sartorially Inclined — and one man behind Men of Habit, Christopher Callis, went face-to-face on the subtleties of neckwear. When is a bow tie the right call? Discuss. —Kurt Soller

Lawrence A. Schlossman: I'm not sure about you, but right now, I find myself in the midst of a serious bow-tie sabbatical. This might seem kinda strange considering we are currently living in a bow-tie renaissance.

Christopher Callis: You've been wearing shoes that buckle for so long, you forget how to tie a bow. Just because a group of people are using something poorly doesn't mean it's bad. Two years ago, you would have said that camouflage was crap because Joe Blow down in Pine Bluff wore his camo for hunting. Now you turn around and collections are full of camo. No, the bow tie is still as applicable as ever.

LAS: Before you start calling me a pretentious Internet nerd who refuses to dress like the style plebeians of the world, let me explain. My current anti-bow stance has absolutely nothing to do with their newfound celebrity. I love that guys are thinking about how they look. I love that guys are dressing up for themselves regardless of whether they have to. No, my issue has to do with reinforcing negative behavior: It's the notion that knotting up a bow tie suddenly makes you well-dressed. The bow tie has become a crutch — a style crutch.

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CC: The beauty of the bow tie is that it allows you to mix it up and have some fun without losing your level of formality. It always looks a bit disheveled. They let you get some individuality in a sea of guys wearing your standard straight tie. You can wear a wool challis bow with a tweed suit and look like Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones or you can rock a matching seersucker jacket and bow tie on top of some tattoos (see Wooster, N.) and make Winston Churchill roll over in his grave. If you say no to bow ties, you're just cutting yourself off to some great styling options.

LAS: If individuality is what you seek, you might want to look elsewhere. I'm not aware of said sea of "guys wearing your standard straight tie," but I am aware of the sea of thrift-store dandies who are foregoing the basics in favor of a loophole. Why bother learning how to dress or even cultivating a personal style when you can skip 50 steps, knot up a bow tie and suddenly you're a neo-dandy or whatever stupid word we want to call it? The bow tie's sudden status as a faux-signifier of style really bothers me. Guys strutting around in suspenders, high water trousers, boat shoes, and bow ties look like goddamn caricatures.

CC: When you see a guy wearing a bow tie well, you don't stop and recognize that it's nice to see a different form of a neckwear?

LAS: No. In fact, the bow tie is pretty much the go-to element of the fake-stylish-man's costume. The examples you provided are more or less costumes. Indiana Jones is a fictional character. It's even more ridiculous for anyone to think they can emulate what Mr. Wooster has going on. Guys like that should serve as inspiration, not necessarily aspiration. Before guys rush to build up their bow-tie collection, they should take a step back, pick their foot up off the gas, and realize there are far more important clothing items to sort out first.

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CC: The bow tie offers something different and should be commended for doing so. What I don't understand is your bashing of Indiana Jones' style. Is that cutaway-collar buttoned too tight? C'mon man, that outfit is as wearable as it gets, especially for the older guys. Nobody is going to wear something exactly like Wooster, but his style is the best example we have to show that we have not exhausted the possible ways to wear a bow tie. To get rid of the bow tie is to limit the possibilities in menswear. To an extent, we're all wearing a costume, aren't we? We're always experimenting and refining the clothing we wear. For my part, I can't tell you how many times I've seen a guy in Japan wear a bow tie in a way that is just so refined and masculine that I'm inspired to start thinking how I can do something similar in my own way.

LAS: I guess, for me, it comes down to things getting passed over in lieu of the bow tie. Instead of using that specific item to enhance a look, how about focusing on the building blocks? Putting effort into wearing clothes that fit properly first and then exploring some of the intricacies inherent in menswear. For example, learn what type and sizes of collars look best with certain types of neckwear. A lot of the bow-clad cretins I've been referring to could use a primer on that — a wimpy collar isn't going to look good with anything tied around your neck.

CC: In this area, Lawrence and I are in agreement. The bow tie is not for the guy just starting to develop his style. Don't buy one before you understand the proportions of your clothes or before you've gotten a few straight ties first. But do buy a bow tie. Buy it when you have your basics down and are ready to develop your style. I actually think one of the best times to start wearing a bow tie is in late fall and winter when you can tie up something in wool or cashmere. It's a great way to add texture to a look.

LAS: Truth be told, outside of a black-tie event, I think a necktie or, simply, no tie at all looks superior to a bow tie. I'm of the belief that you'll look more masculine and natural. For those looking to punch things up, there are many alternatives to a bow tie. Try a knit tie. Try raw silk. Whatever. Point being, if you're turning to bow ties because you think a necktie is too average or boring, then you are not exploring all the interesting options out there.

CC: There's a reason why even Lawrence will wear a bow tie with his tuxedo — it looks great. Sure it's become the convention for formalwear, but that's because bow ties look great when they're well-tied and work with the rest of your outfit. A formal event is the pinnacle of style in many ways.

LAS: Sure, and let's just agree that a man who rushes things in an effort to be stylish will never be stylish at all.

CC: And a man that refuses to wear a bow tie is a man that is afraid to experiment. A man that is afraid to experiment is no man at all.

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